Think I get it now! Porting SUCKS!!

[TYTILIDIE]

I now see why shops charge a bunch to do porting of intakes/heads/etc.. I just spent 2 hours on two ports. And they look like crap, I probably have a good 30-45 minutes left in each one. What sucks is that I will have 4 more ports to go. All I am really doing is trying to match them to the Vortec heads. If I knew then what I know now, I would probably have left them alone. Maybe I am using the wrong tools but I wouldn't know what else to use. I use the Dremel with the flex shaft and the orange grinding stones. Once I get all that done, I move on to the 80 grit sand paper rolls, then to the 40's. Or whatever the smaller ones are. What do you guys use? There has to be a better way to do this:lol: On a side note, aluminum tastes delicious, it will now go next to the salt and pepper on my table:tup:

 

[SY2932]

Re: Think I get it now! Porting SUCKS!!

If you aren't using carbide burrs for the "hogging", it can take a LONG time to get results. The problem is, they cut so fast that you can do more harm than good in a HURRY if you aren't careful...

 

[sy#2921]

Re: Think I get it now! Porting SUCKS!!

Air tools > dremels

Get some real tools to do the job just make sure you do what you need to do to stay calm and go slow! remember its easier to take off then to weld back on

 

[It's just a six]

Re: Think I get it now! Porting SUCKS!!

Dremel is the wrong tool.
Foredom (SP) makes a HD flexshaft grinding tools w/a foot control if you want to go that way.

I use a Makita variable grinding tool. 1/4 collet. http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/makgd0800c.html
BTW,,,not a good price ,just a reference IIRC I paid $160???

You need carbide burs for the rough cutting. ref: http://www.tyrolit.com/page.cfm?vpath=divisions/metalfabrication/tungstencarbideburrs
The burrs w/wide gaps in the cutters are for soft materials like aluminum,waring,removes alot quickly.

When your burrs or grind stones get clogged with aluminum,spray WD-40 or LPS1 etc.
Stones are a waste of time,sanding rolls/drums are for the final polishing.

Also,if you are just needing to port match the intake ports to the cylinder head,it should not cost that much for that type of work.
I would guess it should not cost more than $150 or so,& no headache for you.

Hope this helps.

 

[SY2932]

Re: Think I get it now! Porting SUCKS!!

Yep while a Dremel is definitely under powered for such a task, it can work in a pinch. The heavier duty tools be they air or electric can be used for other endeavors but some folks are put off by the purchase price. Another source for accessories is the place where my work gets their mold finishing supplies, Artco. My work has NSK stuff (the black hand piece on the left) and I use it every chance that I get but, it's too expensive for me to own...

 

[Luke]

Re: Think I get it now! Porting SUCKS!!

On my old Crustang it took me a solid week to just gasket match and polish the exhaust and cc's with a killer air compressor and a good air tool, and that was with aluminum heads.

 

[MRKING]

Re: Think I get it now! Porting SUCKS!!

I had RPM do my vortecs and my stock intake , it doesnt get any easier than that

Id bet $$$ that I couldnt do better or as good if I payed myself $5/hr and still cost more than I payed Mike .

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Think I get it now! Porting SUCKS!!

I use the Dremel with the flex shaft and the orange grinding stones. Once I get all that done, I move on to the 80 grit sand paper rolls, then to the 40's. Or whatever the smaller ones are. What do you guys use?

I don't use a dremel I use air tools, but Iron heads take quite a bit more work than aluminum porting.

 

[TYTILIDIE]

Re: Think I get it now! Porting SUCKS!!

I thank my lucky stars that the heads were already done!! I borrowed my friends tools to do this job last night. Unfortunately it probably wont be until tomorrow that I get to use them. Still, should have the intake on the motor by Sunday and hopefully will be able to put the motor back in the truck sometime that day. Then I get to take on my headache tasks like my wiring, getting rid of this, adding that.....

 

[sy#2716]

Re: Think I get it now! Porting SUCKS!!

yea the best thing to do is get carbide bits and do the hogging then the paper rolls to do the smoothing.

I also use the polishing disk (they look like flowers) and that gives it almost a mirror finish.

 

[NecroWolf]

Re: Think I get it now! Porting SUCKS!!

i opened up my intake with a set of carbide bits and an air grinder in and hour or so. the bits were like 20 dollars at sears but they weren't very long. so i couldn't get very deep.

 

[Nova67ss]

Re: Think I get it now! Porting SUCKS!!

Carbide is the way to go and a good elektikal OR air mashine to that. Iron is farily good workin with it dont clogg the carbide cutter but loosen the sharpnes over time..

Alu cutting I usaly use T-RED an alcoholich wash produckt (strong and denaturised) to cool the cutter and the alu dont clogg with this sprayed och cutter dipped in.. Ive not tryed the W30 route, but I will next time.

 

[turbodig]

Re: Think I get it now! Porting SUCKS!!

I've got a pretty good collection of grinding tools/bits..

I personally find the Dremel (I've got a flex-shaft craftsman one) quite useful on aluminum. Not for large metal removal, but for deep-reach and fine detail grinding and finishing. Nooks and crannies.

The Carbides for aluminum are great, but you can go through a port wall in milliseconds with them, if you're not careful. You can use stones on aluminum as well for a middle-of-the-road cutting, but you need to use lots of WD-40 or cutting lube to keep it from galling.

HF has a pretty good electric grinder that, when combined with one of their router speed controls, will let you move a lot of material with the right bits.

Like you said, though, it's gonna take a long time to do it right.

 

[turbodig]

Re: Think I get it now! Porting SUCKS!!

More specifically... go to HF and buy:

3 of these
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=4476

You'll use them up, because they're cheap, but they eat through intake manifolds pretty well.
Keep dipping 'em in wd-40. They leave a rough surface, which you'll finish with your cartridge rolls/stones.

One each of these:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=44141

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=43060

For around $60, you'll be set.

 

[It's just a six]

Re: Think I get it now! Porting SUCKS!!

I do not trust any HF electric hand tools.
They have no power & they will not last long.

Better off buying a quality grinder one time & it will last forever,unless you are a professional head porter.

 

[ffmeltdown]

Re: Think I get it now! Porting SUCKS!!

Thought i would post what i used and pics of the heads too. I used a cheap die grinder, cheap regulator, good quality bits, scratch awl, and paint/die. Worked really well for me. I could control the speed of the grinder with the regulator so i wasnt taking too much off.